习语和短语，指的是惯用词组或者常见的口语化表达。它在托福听力中经常出现，而且比较难。原因仍然是我们平时很少练习听力。而且口语化的表达也使一贯重视语法的中国式英语教育暴露出明显的缺点。但是，你却可以通过我们后面给你总结的托福听力词句精选快速地掌握这些常见的口语化表达和惯用词组。经常出现的词组比如对话中说： Kathy's effort really paid off.那么选项中出现的Kathy's hard work had a positive result就是正确答案。这里考的是paid off这个短语的含义。
1999年1月听力题
M： Did you see the diamond ring Bill gave to Linda？
W：I sure did. It must have cost him an arm and a leg.
Q： What does the woman imply about the ring.
（A） Linda didn't like it.
（B） Bill lost it.
（C） It was very expensive.
（D） It was very small.？
答案是C.同cost a fortune的意思一样，cost one an arm and a leg都是形容很贵。1999年1月听力题
M：Did you watch that comedy special on TV last night？ I don't think I ever laughed so hard.
W：Don't even talk to me about it. The only night I really wanted to watch something and we had a power failure in my building.
Q： What does the woman mean？
（A） She's upset that she missed the television program.
（B） She doesn't think the television program was funny.
（C） She doesn't like talking about television programs.
（D） She watched the television program at a friend's house.？答案是A.这里，重要的是认识并听懂power failure是停电的意思。
